Key Points:

• There are all-electric vehicles available now that won’t break the bank, though they’re generally still more expensive than comparable gas vehicles.
• The Nissan Leaf is a small four-door hatchback that doesn’t change much for 2025, but it remains the cheapest EV on the market at $29,635 (including destination).
• Nine different brands represent the top 11 vehicles on the list, and body styles include SUVs, hatchbacks and sedans.

So you’ve decided to take a gamble on an electric vehicle, but you’d like to keep the ante down for getting into the game. There are lots of good reasons not to spend the kids’ college fund on the fanciest, six-figure EV — namely, sending them to college.

Related: Electric Vehicles: Understanding the Terminology

You might be just looking for an efficient second car for city use or commuting in high occupancy vehicle lanes, where it makes little sense to pay top dollar for 400 miles of range when a 200-mile EV would serve your needs. Or you might have figured out (accurately) that by the time your new EV’s lease or loan is finished, a wider selection of EVs with much improved technology will be available. Or the higher-than-expected cost to install Level 2 home charging, all but essential to owning an EV, might have shrunk your budget for the car itself.

Whatever your reasons, there are EVs available now that won’t break the bank, though they’re generally still more expensive than comparable gasoline vehicles. Note that availability can be relative for EVs. Some are sold only in certain states, while others may require a reservation for delivery weeks or months later.

Below are 11 of the cheapest EVs you can buy, listed by starting price (including destination). The list features all-electric cars only; plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell models are excluded. Prices do not include any state or local subsidies (the federal EV tax credit expired Sept. 30, 2025).

Cheapest EVs

1. Nissan Leaf: $29,635
2. Fiat 500e: $32,495
3. Hyundai Kona Electric: $34,470
4. Chevrolet Equinox EV: $34,995
5. Tesla Model 3: $38,380
6. Toyota bZ4X: $38,520
7. Hyundai Ioniq 6: $39,095
8. Subaru Solterra: $39,915
9. Ford Mustang Mach-E: $39,990
10. Kia Niro EV: $41,045
11. Nissan Ariya: $41,265

Nissan Leaf

• Starting price: $29,635
• EPA-estimated range: 149-212 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Nissan Leaf: The 2025 Leaf is a small four-door hatchback that’s the cheapest EV you can buy, with a frills-free interior and range of up to 212 miles.

The 2025 Nissan Leaf is a small four-door hatchback and was one of the first full EVs available nationwide when it rolled out in the U.S. as a 2011 model. Over the years, it has improved with more range and added safety tech. It also got a longer-range sibling, the Leaf Plus, with a bigger battery. For 2023, the Leaf got some minor styling tweaks, and its lineup was simplified to a standard-range Leaf S and longer-range Leaf SV Plus. Nothing changes for 2025, although it does lose its eligibility for federal EV tax credits.

The cheapest standard-range Leaf S has a 40-kilowatt-hour battery, a modest 147-horsepower electric motor and an EPA-rated 149 miles of range. The interior has few frills, but it does have a standard 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Leaf SV Plus, meanwhile, has a 60-kWh battery, a significant range boost to 212 miles and a more livable 214-hp motor.

Fiat 500e

• Starting price: $32,495
• EPA-estimated range: 141-149 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Fiat 500e: The 500e is a true city car with a surprisingly quiet, well-damped ride and estimated range of up to 149 miles.

The Fiat 500e is a true city car in every sense of the word, and we love the ease of parking something this small. The new 500e doesn’t feel as zippy as its predecessor, but it has a surprisingly quiet, well-damped ride. It features a single electric motor and a 42-kWh battery pack with an EPA-estimated range of 141 to 149 miles, depending on tires. It also has DC fast-charging capability, which allows it to charge from a completely drained battery to an 80% state of charge in 35 minutes, according to Fiat.

Best of all, the least expensive trim comes in a bright color by default: red, as it’s the 500e Inspi(RED) trim that supports the (RED) charity.

Hyundai Kona Electric

• Starting price: $34,470
• EPA-estimated range: 200-261 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric: The Kona Electric four-door subcompact SUV is mostly similar to the gasoline Kona in being comfortable up front, but tight in the backseat and cargo area.

This four-door subcompact SUV is mostly similar in styling and interior layout to the gasoline Hyundai Kona: It’s comfortable up front, but tight in the backseat and cargo area. Hyundai redesigned the Kona Electric for 2024, making it longer, wider and taller. The base SE trim gets a 48.6-kWh battery pack and 133-hp electric motor, while the SEL, Limited and new-for-2025 N Line pack a 64.8-kWh battery and 201-hp motor. The Kona Electric’s cheapest SE variant comes with an EPA-estimated range of 200 miles, while higher trims come with a longer-range battery good for an EPA-rated range of up to 261 miles. While sales of the Kona Electric were previously limited to certain states with required zero-emission vehicle targets, its availability was recently expanded to every state except Wyoming and South Dakota.

Chevrolet Equinox EV

• Starting price: ​​$34,995
• EPA-estimated range: 307-319 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV: The Equinox EV’s cheapest front-wheel-drive version is one of the longest-range electric SUVs on the road, offering 319 miles on a full charge.

If you’re looking for an excellent bang for your buck, it’s hard not to like the Equinox EV. Its cheapest FWD version is one of the longest-range electric SUVs on the road, offering 319 miles on a full charge, and Chevy says its 150-kilowatt charging capabilities can get you 77 miles of range in 10 minutes on a DC fast charger. To get the least expensive Equinox EV, look for the well-optioned base FWD LT trim, which comes with a suite of popular safety features, a 17.7-inch touchscreen, an 11-inch digital instrument panel and satellite radio.

Tesla Model 3

• Starting price: $38,380
• EPA-estimated range: 309-363 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Tesla Model 3: Tesla’s entry-level Model 3 sedan finally got a subtle styling refresh for 2024, and it remains one of the most affordable options for an EV.

Tesla’s entry-level sedan, the Model 3, finally got a subtle styling refresh for 2024 with a more angular appearance outside and zero stalks on the steering column. Its blinkers are capacitive-touch buttons on the steering wheel, and you put the car in Reverse, Park or Drive via the single large touchscreen in the center of the dashboard or via a touch-sensitive strip on the ceiling by the rearview mirror. While those might be polarizing choices, the Model 3 remains one of the most affordable options for an EV. The base Standard Rear-Wheel Drive variant has a manufacturer-estimated range of 321 miles.

Toyota bZ4X

• Starting price: $38,520
• EPA-estimated range: 222-252 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Toyota bZ4X: The bZ4X SUV’s base FWD XLE trim is rated highest for range, but its charging capabilities lag behind those of some competitors.

Toyota’s bZ4X SUV offers a choice of single-motor FWD or dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrains, with a 71.4-kWh battery pack for FWD variants and 72.8-kWh battery pack for AWD versions. The bZ4X is good for 222-252 miles of range, depending on configuration, with the base FWD XLE rated highest. That’s a possible bonus for budget-conscious shoppers, as the FWD XLE trim is also the cheapest at $38,520. The bZ4X skews toward comfort over performance; with FWD, the bZ4X has 201 hp, while adding AWD bumps the power figure up slightly to 214 hp. The bZ4X’s charging capabilities also lag behind those of some competitors, which may make it more suitable as a second commuter car rather than a road tripper.

Hyundai Ioniq 6

• Starting price: $39,095
• EPA-estimated range: 240-342 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6: The Ioniq 6 is a futuristic, streamlined sedan that comes with a long list of standard equipment and makes for a great bang for your buck.

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a futuristic, streamlined sedan that’s also a great bang for your buck — and was named Cars.com’s Best Value EV two years in a row accordingly. It rides on state-of-the-art 800-volt battery architecture, and Hyundai claims it can go from a 10% state of charge to 80% in just 18 minutes on a 350-kW charger. To get the lowest possible price, you’ll need to select the SE Standard Range trim with single-motor RWD, which features a 240-mile range. It comes with a long list of standard equipment, ranging from driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a heated, power-adjustable driver’s seat. Aside from the SE Standard Range, each trim offers dual-motor AWD as an option for an extra $3,500, though adding that does sacrifice some range.

Subaru Solterra

• Starting price: $39,915
• EPA-estimated range: 222-227 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Subaru Solterra: The Solterra offers dual-motor AWD as standard, slightly undercutting the price of the least expensive AWD Toyota bZ4X, its platform twin.

Subaru’s twin to the Toyota bZ4X is almost just as affordable after a significant price cut for 2025, with its base Premium trim starting at just $39,915. The Solterra offers dual-motor AWD as standard, though, slightly undercutting the price of the least expensive AWD bZ4X. That base Solterra gets you the slightly longer 227-mile range, a total of 215 hp and 249 pounds-feet of torque, and a 72.8-kWh battery that Subaru claims is capable of charging from 10%-80% in just 35 minutes on a DC fast charger.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

• Starting price: $39,990
• EPA-estimated range: 240-320 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E: Little changes for the 2025 Mustang Mach-E SUV aside from the inclusion of a more efficient heat pump for climate control as standard equipment and a repositioned gear shifter.

Very little changes for the 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV aside from the inclusion of a more efficient heat pump for climate control as standard equipment and a repositioned gear shifter. Ford’s latest version of its BlueCruise semi-autonomous hands-free driving system also debuted as an optional upgrade for the model. The Mach-E’s least expensive Select trim features a single rear motor good for 264 hp and 387 pounds-feet of torque. While the Mach-E can get pricey fast (the top off-road-oriented Rally trim starts at $60,485), the base Select RWD clocks in at a far more frugal $39,990 and offers a not-too-shabby 260 miles of range.

Kia Niro EV

• Starting price: $41,045
• EPA-estimated range: 253 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Kia Niro EV: Kia’s left well enough alone since the Niro EV’s 2023 redesign, with its small SUV keeping its single-motor FWD layout and a max range of 253 miles.

The Kia Niro EV is part of a line of electrified-only hatchbacks that also includes hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, all of which received a full redesign for the 2023 model year. Kia’s left well enough alone since then, with its small SUV keeping its single-motor FWD layout, 64.8-kWh battery pack and 201-hp motor that achieves an EPA-estimated maximum range of 253 miles. To get the price listed above, buyers should look for the base Wind trim; the loaded trim is the Wave.

Nissan Ariya

• Starting price: $41,265
• EPA-estimated range: 205-289 miles
• What to know about the 2025 Nissan Ariya: Nissan has paused production of the Ariya for 2026, so if you’re interested in grabbing one, it’s best to look on dealer lots sooner than later.

Nissan’s newest model added yet another affordable but likeable EV to its lineup, this time in compact SUV form. We were impressed with the Ariya’s tech and driving manners but were somewhat perplexed by its lack of a one-pedal driving mode. Price cuts for the 2024 model put it firmly on this list and addressed our main complaint with the Ariya — namely that its debut price wasn’t competitive in an increasingly crowded segment of EVs. For 2025, the Ariya’s base price only raised $180, but you do get standard wireless phone charging in exchange. The cheapest Ariya, priced at $41,265, is the Engage FWD trim with the smaller 63-kWh battery. While that trim only gets you 216 miles of range, you can always upgrade to the $45,865 Evolve+ FWD trim, which packs the larger 87-kWh battery and a maximum range of 289 miles.

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